Page 13 - Karnataka Government

H D Revanna alleges conspiracy behind abuse charges against son Suraj

JD(S) MLA and former Karnataka Minister H D Revanna on Sunday termed the allegations against his son and MLC Suraj Revanna of sexually abusing a male party worker as a "conspiracy" and said he has faith in God and the judiciary. Not wanting to react to anything, he said when time comes he will tell everything. Suraj Revanna -- the brother of former MP Prajwal Revanna who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women -- was arrested in Hassan earlier in the day on charges of "unnatural offences" against him, police sources said. He was booked on Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing a party worker a few days ago and under different sections of the IPC, including "unnatural offences." "I won't react to anything. Let the (CID) do it (investigation). Who said don't (investigate)? I won't say anything on this. I have respect for the judiciary. I know what's happening in the state," Revanna said. While speaking to reporters here, he said, "I won't react to anything. I have

K'taka aims to achieve industrial growth of 15-16%, says CM Siddaramaiah

The government's vision extends beyond urban centres, intending to spread industries to rural regions, particularly Kalyana Karnataka, through focused cluster development initiatives

K'taka HC grants anticipatory bail to Bhavani Revanna in kidnapping case

Karnataka High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to Bhavani Revanna, mother of former JD(S) MP and rape accused Prajwal Revanna, in a kidnapping case involving one of the victims of her son's sexual assaults. The Court emphasised that Bhavani had already answered 85 questions during the investigation, making it unfair to claim she was not cooperating with the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing sexual abuse cases against Prajwal. The SIT had sought her custody in connection with the kidnapping of a house-help in K R Nagar in Mysuru district, after she failed to attend questioning. Justice Krishna S Dixit, while allowing Bhavani's petition seeking anticipatory bail, urged that media trials be avoided and underlined the importance of not making unnecessary arrests of women, noting their central role in families. The judge also highlighted that the allegations of non-cooperation were unconvincing since Bhavani had already provided extensive responses during her

BJP set to organise protests across Karnataka against fuel price hike

The BJP will stage protests across Karnataka against the hike in petrol and diesel prices on June 17, the party's state unit president B Y Vijayendra said on Sunday. The Karnataka government on Saturday hiked sales tax on fuel which will make petrol and diesel costlier. Petrol prices have gone up by Rs 3 per litre and diesel by Rs 3.5 per litre. "We urge the Chief Minister to withdraw this decision immediately. Tomorrow we have organised protests across the state and we are not going to keep quiet till the hike is revoked," Vijayendra told PTI here in the district headquarters town of Hassan. He said the protests will take place in all the district headquarters of the state. Vijayendra charged that the 'desperate Chief Minister' hiked the petrol and diesel prices since he is unable to start any new programmes due to the five guarantees. "After the Lok Sabha elections, they (Congress government) have increased fuel prices. This will cost all sections of people in the entire state

Yediyurappa may be arrested in POCSO case, if necessary: HM Parameshwara

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), probing the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) case against former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, has issued notice asking him to appear before it for questioning, and he may be arrested if necessary. "Notice has been served procedurally, the charge-sheet has to be filed by June 15. Before that they (CID) will file the charge-sheet. They will have to follow procedure for it. They will have to record his statement and produce him (in court), all these are procedures and the department will do it," he told reporters here. In response to a question, Parameshwara said: "If necessary they will arrest. I can't say (if) it is necessary, CID has to say it. If they feel it is necessary, they will do it." The BJP veteran, who is also a member of the party's parliamentary board, is presently in Delhi, and he is likely to join the probe after he returns, sources close to hi

K'taka women avail 2.27 bn free rides in govt buses in one year: Minister

Women in Karnataka have availed themselves of 227 crore free rides in government non-luxury buses under the 'Shakti' guarantee in the last one year, costing the state exchequer Rs 5,526.64 crore, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said on Tuesday. The Congress government, led by Siddaramaiah, launched the 'Shakti' scheme -- one of the five guarantees which the party had promised before the Assembly elections -- on June 11 last year. These promises are said to have yielded rich electoral dividends to the Congress, helping it dethrone the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government. As the government celebrates one year of 'Shakti' guarantee implementation, Reddy said in a statement that 226.95 women travelled free of cost in the government buses. Most such rides were accounted for by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation buses (BMTC-71.45 crore), followed by Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC-69.5 crore). North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) an

HC adjourns hearing on petition filed by Prajwal Revanna till June 3

The case is registered in KR Nagara police station against HD Revanna and others for the alleged abduction of a victim of sexual assault by Prajwal Revanna

Karnataka govt to pay Rs 80 lakh hotel bill for PM Modi's 2023 Mysuru stay

PM Modi visited Karnataka's Mysuru in April 2023 for the commemoration of the 50th year of 'Project Tiger'

25 arrested for mob attack on Channagiri police station in Karnataka

Police have so far arrested at least 25 people in connection with a mob attack on Channagiri police station, officials said on Monday. A police station was vandalised in Channagiri town in Davangere district and several vehicles were damaged by a violent mob over an alleged custodial death, during the small hours of Saturday. At least 11 police personnel were injured in the incident. The Criminal Investigation Department has now been handed over the probe into the case. Police said they have arrested 25 people in connection with a mob attack on the police station, personnel and properties under sections 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 307 (Attempt to murder) of IPC, and the suspects have been remanded in judicial custody. They said five police teams were formed to investigate the incident, and arrests have been made based on CCTV footage and video clips available. Adil (30) was detained on May 24 for his alleged involvement in

No response from Centre on request to cancel Prajwal's passport: K'taka min

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday said the state has not yet got any official response from the Centre regarding its request seeking cancellation of the diplomatic passport of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing women. Taking a dig at External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's reported statement that the state government's request to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal was received only on May 21, he sought to know what happened to the letter sent by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 1. "As far as I know, we have not got any information or letter so far (from the Centre). I have seen that the External Affairs Minister has told the media that they are taking action and in a couple of days they will cancel it (diplomatic passport), but we have not got any written communication on this," Parameshwara said. Speaking to reporters here, he said the Chief Minister on May 1 wrote a letter to the Prime ...

K'taka CM writes to PM Modi seeking cancellation of Revanna's passport

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written a second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to take "prompt and necessary" actions to cancel the diplomatic passport of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing women. He said that it is "disheartening" that his previous letter on the issue had not been acted-upon, despite the gravity of the situation. The chief minister earlier on May 1 had written to Modi urging him to move the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal. Recently, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the state government to probe the serial sex abuse charges against the MP, had also written to the Ministry of External Affairs to cancel his diplomatic passport, on the basis of an arrest warrant issued against him by the court. "I write to you once again to draw attention to the grave series of incidents that Prajwal Revanna has been accused of

MEA processing K'taka govt's request to cancel Prajwal Revanna's passport

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is processing a request of the Karnataka government seeking cancellation of the diplomatic passport of suspended Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is accused of sexually harassing several women. Official sources said that the MEA has received a letter from the Karnataka government seeking revocation of Revanna's diplomatic passport. Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, is at the centre of a sexual abuse case and the Hassan MP is said to have left India late last month, a day after voting for the Lok Sabha elections took place in his constituency. "The MEA has received a letter from the Karnataka government for cancellation of diplomatic passport in respect of MP Prajwal Revanna. This is being processed," a source said. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said the Centre has not responded to the request for cancellation of Revanna's diplomatic passport on the basis of an arrest warrant issued

No lapses on govt's part in handling Prajwal's sexual abuse case: K'taka HM

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has asserted there were no lapses on the part of the government in handling cases relating to the alleged sexual abuse of women by Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and that the Special Investigation Team was probing them from all angles. He also rubbished the opposition parties' allegations about the collapse of law and order in Karnataka and defended the state police, saying they have "done well." "The SIT is seriously looking into this case (Prajwal Revanna) from all angles and they are quite competent. As soon as we got to know about this case, we first handed it to the CID and then formed the SIT looking at the gravity of the situation. There were no lapses on the part of the government. If the intelligence has failed here in Karnataka, the Central intelligence has also failed because they let him fly out of the country," Parameshwara said. Speaking with PTI Videos, he said a court has issued an arrest warrant against Prajwal Revanna following whi

SIT not going abroad to bring Prajwal Revanna back: K'taka HM Parameshwara

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Sunday said that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing into sexual abuse charges against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, will not be going abroad to bring him back, and the Interpol will share information about him. He also cautioned political leaders about making public statements or sharing information in connection with the case, which is sensitive. The 33-year-old Prajwal Revanna, who is grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, is facing charges of sexually abusing several women. The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest. Prajwal Revanna is said to have flown abroad on April 27, a day after the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka was held. He was BJP-JD(S) alliance's joint candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls in the first phase. "No, there is no such option. Blue Corner Notice has been issued and the Interpol will

Girls, women unsafe under Congress govt in Karnataka, alleges BJP

The BJP on Saturday slammed the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government over the law and order situation in Karnataka and alleged that young girls and women had no protection. Sharing a newsreport where a minor Dalit girl was allegedly impregnated by a youth in Hubballi, the BJP took to social media platform to condemn the incident. In a post on 'X', the BJP alleged that the minor girl was "raped by a fanatic" and that there is no "protection for Hindu young women and girls in Hubballi." "Hindu young women are today victims of the mistake of giving power to terrorists, rapists, fanatic Jhihadists called brothers @INCKarnataka like the Kerala files," the party alleged in the post. Meanwhile, a youth has been arrested for allegedly impregnating minor girl in Hubballi, police said. Citing the recent murder case of Congress Councillor Niranjan Hiremath's 23-year-old daughter Neha, who was stabbed to death inside her college campus in Hubballi, the BJP attacked the state government over t

Rahul Gandhi writes to K'taka CM for support to Prajwal Revanna's victims

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, urging him to extend all possible help to the victims of JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna's exploits. In a letter to Siddaramaiah, Gandhi condemned the actions of Revanna, an MP from the southern state, and accused him of enjoying immunity with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In a veiled attack on Modi, the Congress leader said he has never come across a senior public representative who has constantly chosen silence in the face of untold violence against women. "I request you to kindly extend all possible support to the victims," Gandhi said in his letter to the Karnataka chief minister. "They deserve our compassion and solidarity as they fight their battle for justice. We have a collective duty to ensure that all parties responsible for these heinous crimes are brought to book," he added. Describing the incidents as "horrific sexual violence" unleashed b

Ex-PM HD Devegowda's grandson Prajwal Revanna named in sex scandal: Details

A 47-year-old house help from the Revanna family has filed a complaint against Prajwal and his father, HD Revanna, accusing them of sexual harassment

Centre released Rs 3,454 cr for drought relief: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said the Centre has approved Rs 3,499 crore as drought relief and released only Rs 3,454 crore and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give the balance amount as soon as possible. The chief minister thanked the Supreme Court for warning the Central government and providing some drought relief to the state. "According to the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) rules, the state was supposed to be paid Rs 18,171 crore, but the Central government has only approved Rs 3,498.98 crore. This money is not sufficient for the drought relief. Our fight for the arrears will continue," he told reporters here. The chief minister said that the union government did not give the drought relief fund out of concern for Karnataka but it was forced to release money after the state government approached the Supreme Court and pleaded about the drought situation. "The Supreme Court, which heard this petition, was convinced that the Centre was doing ...

CM Siddaramaiah slams PM Modi, defends 4% Muslim quota in Karnataka

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the Congress had transferred the reservation quota from backward classes to Muslims is a blatant lie. He also defended 4 per cent reservation for Muslims under the backward classes category in Karnataka. It stems from ignorance but also indicative of his desperation born from a fear of defeat. No leader in the history of our country has ever demeaned the office of the prime minister to such a low level, Siddaramaiah said in a post on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that the Congress has transferred the reservation quota from backward classes and Dalits to Muslims is a blatant lie, he said. Being in a position of responsibility, Prime Minister Modi should either substantiate these irresponsible allegations with evidence or apologise to the nation, Siddaramaiah said. In an election rally in Rajasthan's Tonk on Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi said the Congress has tried to extend ..

Karnataka, Gujarat continue to lead country's clean energy transition race

Karnataka and Gujarat continue to lead the race to clean energy transition, but states like Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh need to step up efforts, according to a new report released on Tuesday. The joint report by research organisation, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), and clean energy think tank Ember evaluates the clean electricity transition preparedness at the sub-national level. The report's authors said Karnataka and Gujarat continue their strong performance across dimensions, effectively integrating renewable energy sources into their power sectors, making strong strides in decarbonisation. But states like Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh need to improve. While these states are in the early stages of their transition, they now need to focus on increasing renewable energy deployment, enhancing short term market participation and strengthening their distribution companies. The report launch coincides with a spell o